Fuel receptacle



United States Pateht O FUEL RECEPTACLE Hugo F. Trense, Winnetka, Ill. Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,794 1 Claim. (Cl. 220-2) This invention relates to improvements in receptacles for fuel and primarily suitable for fireplace fuels.

In the use of fire places, two types of fuel are generally burned; coal and/or wood. The coal usually is either in natural lump form or artificially formed briquettes. The wood usually is in the form of small or medium size logs and/ or sticks of kindling. Generally each such fuel is contained in some kind of a receptacle at the side of the fireplace.

The main objects of this invention are to provide a fireside receptacle for fireplace fuel which is readily convertible to permit its use for containing either coal and/ or wood, or logs, or, at times some of both; to provide an improved receptacle of this kind which is simple in construction, and hence economical to manufacture, and easily convertible from one form to another; and to provide an improved receptacle of this kind which is capable of being highly ornamental in its design so as to make an attractive accessory at the side of a fireplace.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of a fireplace receptacle embodying this invention, the same being shown in closed form for more convenient use as a container for briquettes.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the receptacle in its open position and converted for more convenient use as a container of wood and/or logs, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side view showing more clearly the supporting means for the side elements in open position.

The essential concept of this invention involves the formation of elements which are relatively adjustable so that in one relationship they constitute a receptacle in vertical depth and in another relationship they constitute a receptacle in horizontal breadth, means being provided for locking the elements in either relationship; the elements being so attractively designed and interrelated that in either relationship they constitute an attractive fireside accessory.

A fireplace fuel receptacle, embodying the foregoing concept, broadly comprises elements A and B and a locking means C for securing the elements A and B in either of their relationships to permit transport of the receptacle from place to place when necessary.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the elements A and B constitute opposite sections of a wall, vertically disposed with respect to a base 10, having a bottom 11, and including the ends 12 and 13. The locking means C, in this instance, includes bails 14 and the retractable element supports 16.

As here shown, the bottom 11 and the ends 12 and 13 are rigidly secured together along their lower edges by narrow sub-sides 17 whereto the elements A and B are respectively secured by piano-type hinges 18. Laterally, the ends 12 and 13 are formed with flanges 19 against which the elements A and B abut in their vertical positions. These ends 12 and 13 are shown ornamented with 2,814,407 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 "ice vertical flutes 21 and the upper edges are curved. The adjacent corners are recessed at 22 to receive the bails 14 for securing the'elements A and B in their vertical relationship to each other and the ends 12 and 13.

Knobs 23, of suitable form and material, are secured to the underside of the bottom 11 adjacent the corners to provide feet to space the receptacle a slight distance from the floor.

The bails 14, in the form of wire loops, are hingedly secured along the upper or outer edges of the elements A and B, being retained in the integral beads 24. The supports 16, for maintaining the elements A and B in horizontal alinement, are here shown in the form of wire rods. They could be chains or cords. Each wire support 16 is hinged at one end to a lateral flange 25 of the elements A and B intermediate the upper and lower edges of such elements. At the other ends the wire rods 16 are formed with hooks 26 (see Fig. 3) and extend through bayonet slots 27 or the like, formed near the upper ends of the flanges 19.

A handle 28, of suitable form, is hingedly connected at medial points 29 near the tops of the ends 12 and 13 to permit transport of the receptacle with the elements A and B in either relationship.

When a receptacle, of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, is to be used as a container of lump fuel, such as coal in its natural state or as briquettes, or even small blocks of wood, the elements A and B are secured in their upright vertical relationship by the bails 14 seated in the recesses 22. When the receptacle is to be used as a container of various sizes of stick wood, or logs, the bails 14 are removed from the end recesses 22 and the elements A and B allowed to assume alined horizontal relationship, where they are held in place by the wire supports 16.

Although but one specific embodiment of the invention is herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the structure shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claim:

I claim:

A receptacle comprising, a base mounting including a bottom, end walls having inwardly-extending flanges and permanently-integrated with the base mounting, the upper corners of the end walls being formed with upwardlyopening bail-receiving recesses, a pair of flat elements hinged along their lower edges to the mounting base in vertically-spaced relationship to the bottom for swinging between vertically-disposed parallel relationship with each other against the flanges of the end walls, to form an upwardly-open unobstructed compartment within the Walls and the elements for the accumulation of rigid objects of dimensions not exceeding the horizontal distance between the ends, and horizontally-disposed coplanar relationship, to form a support for rigid objects of lengths exceeding the horizontal distance between the ends, a bail in the form of an elongated wire loop hinged to the upper edges of each side element and adapted to seat in the end-wall recesses to secure the side elements in their vertical par allel relationship, supports hinged to the side elements and slidable in the end-wall flanges to limit the swing of the side elements to hold them in their horizontal relationship, and a bail-like handle pivotally connected to the end Walls for transport of the receptacle with the side elements in either relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS (Other references on following page) Pease July 26, 1887 Benoit May 16, 1905 Weis Dec. 15, 1914 Smith Nov. 16, 1920 Ham .3 Dec. 17, 1929 Gary Aug. 1, 1933 App May 1, 1934 4 Mote Aug. 28, 1934 Pellerin Nov. 10, 1953 Barnett Dec. 21, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Aug. 21, 1926 Germany Nov. 19, 1953 

